January 20, 2008

Arguably Ms. Pleshette’s most memorable television moment was not in “The Bob Newhart Show” but in the final episode of “Newhart.” On May 21, 1990, Mr. Newhart’s character, Dick Loudon, was hit in the head by a golf ball and woke up to find himself in Dr. Robert Hartley’s bed, with his beautiful, unfailingly sane wife, Emily, at his side. The whole second sitcom had been a nightmare.

The episode was considered one of the most successful series finales in television history, partly because it managed to remain a secret until it was broadcast. As time passed, some found the scene a useful metaphor for hopes that a difficult situation might turn out to be just a bad dream. In 1999, a headline in the humor publication The Onion read, “Universe Ends as God Wakes Up Next to Suzanne Pleshette.”

The 15-billion-year-old universe came to a surprise-twist end Tuesday, when God woke up next to actress Suzanne Pleshette. "What a crazy dream I just had," God said to Pleshette at the conclusion of the popular, long-running universe. "I was the Creator of all things, I had this crazy Son who was always getting arrested and wouldn't get a haircut, and My children were always hurting and killing each other in My name." Pleshette reassured God that He had imagined the whole thing and urged the beleaguered, well-intentioned deity to go back to sleep.

She was born in Brooklyn Heights. I expect you'll scout out that location and post some photos. Noticed how many famous Brooklyn Heights folks have died while you're there?...Death blogging....Althouse laughs at death.

Ms. Pleshette's passing brings up a fond memory of my late mother, who loved movies and TV (and always beat her daughter the smart-ass at Trivial Pursuit thanks to her complete mastery of "Entertainment" and "Sports and Leisure").

I was sixteen and watching with my mom when the final episode of "Newhart" aired. Immediately after the golf ball hit, my mom turned to me and said, "You just wait. He's going to wake up in bed with Suzanne Pleshette."

I said, "Who's Suzanne Pleshette?" I still remember Mom hooting with satisfaction at her correct prediction of the ending.

Sam was not a hitman, despite his nickname. He was actually more of financial wizard similar to Meyer Lansky in a weaselly sort of way. He got his nickname because of his habit of screaming at the top of lungs "Eat the Meat, BITCH!" while shoving the sausage to whatever bimbo he was banging at the time. He was in fact Jewish and first came up on the lower east side in the Bugs and Meyer gang. He is the reason for Maxine's long time anti-semitism